WEBVTT REPORTER: PLAYING IN THE BIGGAME FOR SOME ATHLETES, CANSOMETIMES MEAN PLAYING THROUGHTHE PAIN.>> YOU HAVE TO -- HE TACKLED MERIGHT THROUGH THE KNEE.TOUR MY ACL AND MENISCUS.REPORTER: FROM HITS, TEARS,TWISTS AND SPRAINS, INJURIES AREVERY COMMON AMONG SPORTSPLAYERS.BUT MANY ARE NOW GUARDINGTHEMSELVES AGAINST USING PAINKILLERS OR OPIOIDS, AFTERHEARING STORIES, OF ADDICTION.>> THAT'S THE KIND OF STORY THATSTICKS IN YOUR MIND.WHEN YOU GET OPIOIDS AND YOU ARETHE GUY.REPORTER: BUT DOCTOR FELIX BUDDYSAVOIE SAYS THE GAME HAS CHANGEDWHEN IT COMES TO OPIOIDPRESCIPTIONS FOR ATHLETES THAN30 YEARS AGO WHEN HE FIRSTSTARTED OUT AS AN ORTHEPEDICSURGEON.>> IT WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENTMENTALITY THEN, WHICH WAS I JUSTNEED TO TAKE WHATEVER I CAN TOGET ON THE FIELD AND PLAY. REPORTER: CONSCIOUS OF THEIR-- NOWADAYS, HE SAYS DOCTORS ANDATHLETES ARE MORE CONSCIOUS OFTHEIR BODIES.WHEN TREATING PROFESSIONALPLAYERS, SAVIOIE SAYS THEY'REBETTER AT DEALING WITH PAIN THANTHE AVERAGE PATIENT, ANDUNDERSTAND PAIN KILLERS, AREN'TGOOD FOR THE BODY LONG-TERM.>> MY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES GETOFF MEDICATION ALMOSTIMMEDIATELY.THEY RARELY TAKE MORE THAN A FEWDAYS OF MEDICATION AFTER ANINJURY OR SURGERY. REPORTER: BUT THE RULES AREDIFFERENT FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS.SAVOIE SAYS THEY TYPICALLY DON'THAVE THE MATURITY YET, TOUNDERSTAND PAIN, AND HOW TO COPEWITH IT.>> THE HIGHSCHOOLERS JUST KNOWTHEY WANT TO QUIT HURTING ANDIT'S OUR JOB TO TRY AND EDUCATETHEM AND WORK THEM THROUGH THATMATTER BUT AGAIN THEY HAVE REALPAIN.REPORTER: AND IT'S A DIFFERENTPLAYING FIELD ALTOGETHER FORCOLLEGIATE ATHLETES, BECAUSEDOCTOR SAVOIE DOESN'T LIKE TOPRESCRIBE PAIN MEDS TO THEM ATALL.>> THEY HAVE TO GO TO CLASS THEYHAVE TO BE ABLE TO STUDY.SO FOR TULANE KIDS IT'S VERYIMPORTANT TO GET THEM OFF OFMEDICATION AS QUICKLY ASPOSSIBLE. REPORTER: PATIENTS, WHO DON'T-- HOWEVER, SAVOIE SAYS THECHALLENGE IS FOR REGULARPATIENTS, WHO DON'T HAVE THE 24HOUR ACCESS TO DOCTORS ANDTRAINERS, THAT ATHLETES MAYHAVE.BUT MANY OF THEM ARE ALSOBEGINNING TO RECOGNIZE THEGROWING OPIOID PROBLEM.>> IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS ORYEAR BECAUSE OF ALL THE PRESSCOVERAGE, PATIENTS HAVE COME INAND THEY ARE VOLUNTARILY WEANINGTHEMSELVES OFF FOR THE MOSTPART.REPORTER: SAVOIE SAYSALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS ARE KEY,ICING, PHYSICAL THERAPY, EVENTYLENOL, ARE OTHER METHODS HE'SPROMOTING, AS WELL AS EDUCATINGPATIENTS AND COUNSELING THEM, ASTHEY GO THROUGH A SURGERY ORINJURY.REPORTING, RANDI ROUSSEAU WDSU

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Savoie said when he started out 30 years ago as an orthopedic surgeon, the rules of prescribing opioids were much different than they are with today's athletes. He said during that time, drugs were quickly prescribed to get athletes back on the field as quickly as possible.

"Our understanding was different," Savoie said. "But nowadays, my professional athletes get off medication almost immediately. They really don't take more than a few days of medication after an injury or surgery."

Savoie noted that professional athletes are much more aware of their bodies and have a strong support system of trainers, doctors and physical therapists helping them through an injury.

But Savoie said it's a different ballgame for high school athletes.

"High school athletes typically don't have the maturity to understand pain and how to cope with it," Savoie said. "The highschoolers just know they want to quit hurting and it's our job to try and educate them and work them through that matter. But again, they have real pain. These things hurt and they have to work their way through it."

Savoie said when prescribing teens painkillers, it's important to wean them off as quickly as possible and promote other methods of treatment.

In all athletes, Savoie suggests using icing methods, anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy.

But he said the real challenge is for the average patient who doesn't have consistent access to sports medicine professionals.

"Although you try to do this with your regular patients, it's a little different," Savoie said. "They don't have access to a trainer on a daily basis. They don't really have a means to do all this."

But many patients are taking notice regarding the opioid crisis in America. Savoie said many of them come into his office asking to be taken off opioids.

"In the last six months or year," he said, "because of all the press coverage, patients have come in and they are voluntarily wean themselves off for the most part."